|
* * * * * * * * * *
1. USDA Confirms More Highly Pathogenic H5N2 Avian Influenza in Four Flocks in Minnesota and Iowa
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
June 1, 2015
WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in four additional flocks in Minnesota and Iowa. No human infections with the virus have been detected at this time. CDC considers the risk to the general public from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low.
USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed HPAI H5N2 in the following counties and states:
Meeker County, Minnesota (May 29, 2015)
4,900 turkeys
10th detection in this county
Brown County, Minnesota (May 29, 2015)
7,300 turkeys
2nd detection in this county
Renville County, Minnesota (May 29, 2015)
29,300 turkeys
5th detection in this county
Hamilton County, Iowa (May 29, 2015)
17,000 turkeys
Full text:
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/107420d
********
|
|
2. MDARD's State Veterinarian Stops Bird Movement to Protect Health of Michigan Poultry
Michigan Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development News Release
June 1, 2015
Lansing - Today, after much deliberation and consideration with the Michigan Association for Fairs and Exhibitions (MAFE), Michigan 4-H leadership and the Michigan Allied Poultry Industry, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's State Veterinarian Dr. James Averill made the difficult decision to cancel all 2015 poultry and waterfowl exhibitions in Michigan to prevent the comingling of birds from different locations. This includes, but is not limited to shows, exhibitions, swap meets, petting zoos at fairs, game bird and waterfowl fair displays, and Miracle of Life exhibits.
"We know the tremendous amount of time, money and passion the kids and other exhibitors invest into their birds and the importance of having livestock animals at these events to interact with the public," said Averill. "The rapid spread of these avian flu viruses is historic and has impacted more than a dozen states across the U.S. While there are currently no known cases of HPAI in Michigan, commitment to protecting the health of all of the state's poultry flocks - backyard and commercial farmers - led us to making this difficult decision."
MDARD has been working in conjunction with the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, Michigan State University Extension, 4-H programs, and other partners to identify ways to engage Michigan's youth poultry exhibitors and allow them to still have the experience.
"The impact this disease has had on the poultry industry and how quickly it is spreading is clear," said Lisa Reiff, MAFE Executive Director. "While it's unfortunate that poultry exhibitions are canceled for this year, it's crucial youth still have an opportunity to participate in fair activities. MAFE is working with MDARD, MSU and 4-H to identify alternatives for poultry exhibitors and will use this opportunity to help further educate the public about our state's poultry industry."
County fairs and local exhibitors are encouraged to go to the MSU Extension website - msue.msu.edu/poultryshows - to get a list of options for poultry exhibitors. Those options include suggestions for showmanship, breed classes, market classes and auctions.
Full text:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1572_28248-355906--,00.html
********
|
|
3. Foster Farms working to eliminate antibiotics in its chickens
By Lynne Terry
The Oregonian/OregonLive
June 1, 2015
Foster Farms, the largest poultry producer in the West, is phasing out the use of human antibiotics in its chickens.
The announcement Monday follows similar pledges from other large poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's Pride and Perdue, and comes on the eve of a White House summit on the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million Americans are infected every year with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and about 23,000 die.
Foster Farms said it is introducing two new lines chicken which will make it the largest producer of organic and antibiotic-free chicken in the West.
The company's statement said it has eliminated antibiotics that are critical to human medicine in all of its chickens. It also said it is working towards a goal of eliminating other antibiotics that are also used to treat human infections. The company did not give a deadline for the phase-out and said it would use human antibiotics if its flocks were at risk of infection.
Full text:
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2015/06/foster_farms_working_to_elimin.html
********
|
|
4. Antibiotic alternative aids immune response
Feedstuffs
June 1, 2015
A University of Wisconsin-Madison animal scientist has developed an antibiotic-free method to protect animals raised for food against common infections.
"You really can't control the bugs forever; they will always evolve a way to defeat your drugs," Mark Cook, a professor of animal sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and entrepreneur, said.
Cook's current work focuses on a fundamental immune "off-switch" called interleukin 10 (IL-10), manipulated by bacteria and many other pathogens to defeat the immune system during infection. He and animal sciences associate researcher Jordan Sand have learned to disable this switch inside the intestine, the site of major farm animal infections such as the diarrheal disease coccidiosis.
Cook vaccinates laying hens to create antibodies to IL-10. The hens put the antibody in eggs that are then sprayed on the feed of the animals he wants to protect. The antibody neutralizes the IL-10 off-switch in those animals, allowing their immune systems to better fight disease.
In experiments with 300,000 chickens, those that ate the antibody-bearing material were fully protected against coccidiosis.
Full text:
http://feedstuffs.com/story-antibiotic-alternative-aids-immune-response-45-128288
********
|
|
5. Farmers, ranchers battle Oregon lawmakers over bill to restrict animal antibiotics
By Dan Springer
FoxNews.com
June 1, 2015
Farmers and ranchers in Oregon are locked in a battle with lawmakers who want to restrict their ability to give antibiotics to their animals -- as part of a first-in-the-nation push to crack down on the alleged overuse of the drugs.
Driving the push is the threat posed by so-called "superbugs," or bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in a 2013 report that superbugs sicken 2 million people, and kill 23,000, every year in the United States. Health officials agree that the overuse of antibiotics is the major reason.
But unable to influence doctors who over-prescribe antibiotics for their patients, public interest organizations are instead going after farmers and ranchers -- many of whom give their animals antibiotics to keep them healthy.
The Oregon State Public Interest Group, or OSPIRG, helped write a bill that would ban the use of antibiotics on farms to prevent illness.
"A daily low dose of antibiotics to keep animals from getting sick -- we would never do that on people, we'd never do that on a roomful of schoolchildren, and yet we do that every day on animals," said Dave Rosenfeld of OSPIRG.
The bill puts the Oregon Health Department in charge of tracking the use of antibiotics on farms and coming up with penalties for violators.
If it passes, the legislation would be the first anti-antibiotics law in the country.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/puhn6vq
********
|
|
6. AVMA CEO to participate in White House antibiotic resistance summit
By AVMA
Bovine Veterinarian
June 1, 2015
Dr. Ron DeHaven, CEO and executive vice president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), will participate in the White House's One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Tuesday, June 2.
The summit is part of the White House's national strategy for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria. Dr. DeHaven's involvement in this event reflects the AVMA's commitment to enhanced veterinary oversight and judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials to help protect human and animal health and the safety of the nation's food supply.
More details about Dr. DeHaven's participation at the summit, as well as AVMA's specific commitments to the White House's plans to combat antibiotic resistance, will be made available following the event.
Full text:
http://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/avma-ceo-participate-white-house-antibiotic-resistance-summit
********
|
|
7. Quarantines on poultry lifted in Dickey, LaMoure counties [ND]
By Sun Staff
Jamestown Sun
June 1, 2015
The State Board of Animal Health has lifted quarantines that have been in place in Dickey and LaMoure counties since the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in poultry flocks there in April. The quarantines restricted the movement of poultry and poultry products in the control zones, 6-mile radiuses around the infected premises.
Teams comprised of staff from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture's Animal Health Division, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services and local extension offices visited multiple locations in the quarantined areas and tested samples from birds at 20 premises. After two negative rounds of avian influenza testing, the quarantines have been lifted and movement of poultry and poultry products is no longer restricted in the control zones. The two originally infected premises remain quarantined until the cleanup process is complete.
Statewide bird movement to shows, exhibitions and public sales is still halted until further notice.
Full text:
http://www.jamestownsun.com/news/local/3757083-quarantines-poultry-lifted-dickey-lamoure-counties
********
|
|
8. Unknown Disease Kills Kazakhstan's Rare Saiga Antelopes, Scientists Baffled
By Kukil Bora
International Business Times
May 30, 2015
A mysterious and fast-moving disease has killed tens of thousands of saiga antelopes in central Kazakhstan in recent days, leaving scientists baffled over the "catastrophic" event. More than 120,000 of the endangered animal -- over a third of its global population -- have been confirmed dead in the region in the past two weeks, conservationists have found.
Experts at the United Nations said that a combination of environmental and biological factors is responsible for the mass deaths of the rare antelopes, but the exact cause of the disease's outbreak is still unknown. Primarily mothers and calves are among the carcasses, and not a single animal survived in the affected herds, scientists said in a report Thursday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
"A one hundred percent mortality for the herds affected is extraordinary," Richard Kock, a professor at the Royal Veterinary College in London, told the Agence France-Presse (AFP). "We are dealing with creatures that have fairly low resilience."
The scientists said, based on preliminary analysis of information, that two secondary pathogenic bacteria are contributing to the rapid and widespread deaths of the critically endangered antelopes, whose ancestors have inhabited the region since the Ice Age. The bacteria are deadly to an animal only if its immune system is already weakened. But the hunt for the fundamental cause of the mass mortality still continues.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/njfa59d
********
|
|
